ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has introduced an innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution called Diabot, aimed at assisting individuals in understanding their diabetes status and providing valuable guidance on maintaining healthy blood sugar levels through dietary management and physical exercise.
Diabot, the AI-based personal diabetes assistant, has been unveiled as part of the “Discovering Diabetes” Project, which has reached over 300,000 individuals across Pakistan since its inception in 2021. This cutting-edge AI solution seeks to reach millions of undiagnosed diabetics and help them gain control over their condition.
Syed Jamshed Ahmed, the Project Lead of Discovering Diabetes, explained during the launch ceremony that Diabot assesses diabetes risk through an AI-supported chatbot that functions as a personal assistant for patients. This innovative tool offers personalized medication reminders, dietary guidance, lifestyle tips, and medication information. Anyone dialing the “Discovering Diabetes” helpline at 0800-66766 will be connected with Diabot.
Discovering Diabetes
Syed Jamshed Ahmed highlighted that due to the overwhelming number of calls received on the toll-free number of Discovering Diabetes, the decision was made to leverage artificial intelligence and develop Diabot, which will respond to common people’s queries about diabetes. It will also assist individuals in adopting a healthy diet and provide guidance on calorie intake to promote overall well-being.
“Future phases include the establishment of an advisory board and the expansion of Diabot’s knowledge base. We have recently partnered with Dr. Essa Lab to offer subsidized lab tests for diabetic patients, making healthcare more accessible,” he added, emphasizing the importance of behavioral changes in controlling diabetes and other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Pakistan.
Dr. Ali Asghar, a renowned diabetologist, underscored the alarming diabetes epidemic in Pakistan, estimating that around 60 million people in the country could have diabetes, with a significant number of cases remaining undiagnosed. He emphasized that physical inactivity, unhealthy processed foods, excessive consumption of unhealthy oils, and sugary snacks and beverages are major contributors to diabetes in Pakistan.
He urged individuals to adopt a healthier lifestyle and avoid consuming processed foods to maintain good health. Dr. Asghar also cautioned that uncontrolled diabetes could lead to severe complications, including limb amputation, kidney failure, vision loss, and heart disease.
Haroon Qasim, Managing Director of PharmEvo, shared the company’s commitment to promoting a healthy society and its efforts to identify undiagnosed diabetics through the Discovering Diabetes project, connecting them with healthcare professionals for proper care.
